About Your Happiness:
“And we know that the Son of God
has come, and has given us understanding…â€
(1 John 5:20)
There is a major difference between the lifestyle and world view of Christians and the way of the world (1 John 2:15-17). This difference may be expressed in terms of the difference between “happy†and “blessedâ€. The “understanding†spoken of in 1 John 5:20 allows us to do this comparative study.
1. Happy appears to have more in common with circumstances; whereas, blessed is primarily a spiritual matter arising from one’s relationship with God. A relationship with God is never merely circumstantial, or arbitrary. It is the sense of constant communion which enables the worshipper to be able to count on God, as it were, even when the shifting sands of circumstances may dishevel one’s life (1 John 4:13).
2. Happy is essentially about one’s feelings. Blessed, on the other hand, is based on the promise of God, via the word of God (1 John 2:25).
3. Happy seems to be limited to the here and now, while blessed is about forever (1 John 3:2). Blessed involves a process of both now and later, and of both being and becoming.
4. Happiness is usually evaluated in terms of a human perspective. Contrarily, blessedness is derived from God’s point of view (1 John 2:16,17).
Chistians may be both blessed and happy. But, to be blessed is most important. Do you have this kind of life? Circumstances come and go; but choices abide.
– Robert M. Housby